Crockett was a very interesting character....he seems to have been a likable and skillful man with a big personality. It's too bad he decided to go to Texas at that particular time, but I guess it saved him from dying in bed anyway. Perhaps to die in battle is the better way to go for a man like that? Hard to say. But it did earn him immortality.

This has already been posted in the BS section, but you above-the-liners may have missed it, so here it is. Enjoy! ;-)

I got the idea to do this parody at song circle last Tuesday. Richard sings that song, and he's under the impression that the first verse goes...

"Eight hundred and eighty were challenged by Travis to die By a line that he drew with his sword when the battle was nigh And him that would fight to the death cross over But him that would live better fly And over that line came a hundred and seventy nine..."

I told him, "Richard, it's a hundred and eighty, not eight hundred and eighty."

He said, "No, it's 880. That's how Donovan sings it."

"No, he doesn't!"

"Yes he does!"

And so on.... ;-) Well, we never resolved it. Richard will just go on singing "880 were challenged by Travis to die" on the first line, I guess...but it gave me the idea for stretching the whole thing just a tad farther...why just 880? Why not...85,000?

;-)

So, here's the story....

THE INTRO:

It is a little known fact that the garrison of the Alamo numbered about 85,000 Texians, most of whom were huddling in terror behind the walls as a Mexican army of about 1500 approached under command of the flamboyant and vainglorious dictator, Santa Ana, the self-proclaimed "Napoleon of the West". Fortunately for the Texians, there were three men of real grit in the garrison who were in a position of command, and who might be counted upon to stir some herioc passions in the breasts of their chicken-hearted comrades. There were also a couple of farm animals who proved absolutely vital to the defence of the fort, and that part has been suppressed in the popular mythology that later arose around the battle. At any rate, the Mexican army (soon reinforced to about 2400 men) was blissfully unaware that it had surrounded a garrison of approximately 35 times its own strength in numbers. Had the Mexicans known this, they would have fled. They were under the impression, though, that there were less than 200 poorly armed men defending the fort, so they prepared a siege and bombarded the place for 12 days while the 85,000 Texians hunkered down, prayed, wept, swore, and wrote desperate letters to their wives and sweethearts.

By the 12th day Travis had realized that reinforcements were not forthcoming and that little time was left before the shit would hit the fan. He summoned the entire garrison to parade in the open square and gave them a dramatic choice! Our song begins....

The Battle of the Alamo - 1836

85,000 were challenged by Travis to die By a line that he drew with his sword when the battle was nigh And him that would fight to the death cross over But the others had better vamoose! And over that line came three men, a pig, and a goose!

Hey—up! Santa Ana, we're killing your soldiers below So the rest of Texas will know, and remember the Alamo!

'Twas Travis and Bowie and Crockett who dared to remain And the pig and the goose crossed over the line unashamed But 84,998 Texans were lacking in grit The sight of the Mexican Army had caused them to shit

Hey—up! Santa Ana, we're fleeing your soldiers below So the rest of Texas will know, when we're far from the Alamo!

So 84,000 came pouring out over the walls While another 600 tried to hide in the urinal stalls Fifty men ran for the pigpen, twenty-eight jumped in the well 320 were trampled to death when they fell

And the 84,000 came pouring out over the walls When the Mexicans saw that mob coming, they were plainly appalled They threw down their rifles, abandoned their cannons In panic and fled from the field As the goose honked in joy and the pig triumphantly squealed:

Hey—up! Santa Ana, we're killing your soldiers below So the rest of Texas will know, and remember the Alamo!

86,000 men scattered like shot from a gun The Texans and Mexicans showed the world how they could run They ran for the rivers, they ran for the hills, they dug holes and hid in the dirt Santa Ana lost both of his boots, his hat, and his shirt

Hey—up! Santa Ana, we're killing your soldiers below So the rest of Texas will know, and remember the Alamo!

"We've won," cried out Travis, in wonder, "and the glory's all mine!" "Like hell!" growled Jim Bowie, "I outrank you, and you ain't worth a dime!"Then up stepped bold Davie Crockett, his rifle held firm in his hand Said, "If there's to be one lone survivor here, I am that man!" Hey—up! Santa Ana, we're killing your soldiers below So the rest of Texas will know, and remember the Alamo!

Jim Bowie was found with a bayonet stuck in his chest While Travis lay dead with a bullet hole right through his breast And bold Davie Crockett lay cold as a sprocket, the Bowie knife deep in his heart While the goose and the pig danced a jig on the bloody ramparts!

Hey—up! Santa Ana, we're killing your soldiers below So the rest of Texas will know, and remember the Alamo!

Santa Ana was ruined, he had to go back in disgrace He'd lost half his army, but worse than that, he'd lost face The pig and the goose caught a train to Ohio where they got a good job at the zoo And the Alamo stands as the proof that this story is true!

Hey—up! Santa Ana, we're killing your soldiers below So the rest of Texas will know, and remember the Alamo!

Yes, the Alamo stands as proof of all that I've said It will stand there forever to honor the glorious dead But no one remembers the brave little pig and no one remembers the goose Where's the honor in that? Where's the justice? And what's the excuse?

Hey--up! Santa Ana, they drove off your soldiers below And the rest of Texas should know How they fought for the Alamo!